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According to the figures released today (March 21) by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD), total employment in the private sector surveyed increased by 0.7% or 18 800 persons in December 2015 compared with a year earlier. The total number of vacancies was 71 240, representing a decrease of 3% or 2 290 over the preceding year.
Employment statistics
In December 2015, the selected industries as a whole employed 2 808 000 persons. The import and export trade engaged 484 100 persons, followed by the professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services) engaging 282 700 persons, the retail trade 268 100 persons, and the food and beverage services 243 300 persons.
Employment increased in half of the surveyed industries compared with a year earlier. Increases in employment were mainly recorded in the industries of construction sites (manual workers only) (18.1% or 15 700 persons), human health services (4.1% or 4 600 persons), residential care and social work services (3.5% or 2 100 persons), education (2.9% or 5 500 persons), and professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services) (1.6% or 4 400 persons). On the other hand, employment decreased mainly in the industries of manufacturing (-2.6% or -2 600 persons), import and export trade (-2.0% or -10 000 persons), accommodation services (covering hotels, guesthouses, boarding houses and other establishments providing short term accommodation) (-1.4% or -600 persons), and retail trade (-1.3% or -3 500 persons). Employment figures for selected major industries are shown in Table 1.
Vacancies statistics
Among the 71 240 private sector vacancies, 11 780 were from the industry of food and beverage services, 7 950 from the retail trade, 7 340 from the professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services), 6 130 from the financing and insurance, and 5 640 from the import and export trade.
Vacancies decreased in half of the selected industries in December 2015 over a year earlier. Decreases were mainly observed in the industries of food and beverage services (-2 050 or -15%), import and export trade (-1 150 or -17%), retail trade (-760 or -9%), and wholesale (-440 or -35%). On the other hand, increases in vacancies were mainly seen in the industries of financing and insurance (1 400 or 30%), information and communications (490 or 18%), and human health services (230 or 14%). Job vacancies figures for selected major industries are shown in Table 2.
Analysed by major occupation category, private sector vacancies were observed mainly in the categories of service and sales workers (22 890 vacancies), associate professionals (13 990 vacancies), elementary occupations (13 770 vacancies), and clerical support workers (8 600 vacancies). Job vacancies figures by major occupation category are shown in Table 3.
Seasonally adjusted statistics
For discerning the latest trend in employment and vacancies in the private sector, it is useful to look at changes over a three-month period in the respective seasonally adjusted figures. Compared with September 2015, the seasonally adjusted total employment and total vacancies in the surveyed industries increased by 0.2% and 1.6% respectively in December 2015. The changes over three-month period in the seasonally adjusted series of employment and vacancies are shown in Table 4.
Other information
The above employment and vacancies statistics were obtained from the Quarterly Survey of Employment and Vacancies and the Quarterly Employment Survey of Construction Sites conducted by the C&SD. In the former survey, some economic activities (e.g. those dominated by self-employment, including taxi operators and hawkers) are not covered. Therefore, the respective employment and vacancies figures relate only to those selected industries included in the survey. In the latter survey on construction sites, employment and vacancies figures relate to manual workers only.
A detailed breakdown of the above statistics is published in the following reports:
Quarterly Report of Employment and Vacancies Statistics, December 2015
(www.censtatd.gov.hk/hkstat/sub/sp452.jsp?productCode=B1050003)
Quarterly Report of Employment and Vacancies at Construction Sites, December 2015
(www.censtatd.gov.hk/hkstat/sub/sp452.jsp?productCode=B1050004)
Users can download these publications free of charge at the website of the C&SD.
Enquiries on more detailed employment and vacancies statistics can be directed to the Employment Statistics and Central Register of Establishments Section, C&SD (Tel: 2582 5076; fax: 2827 2296; email: employment@censtatd.gov.hk).
Ends/Monday, March 21, 2016
Issued at HKT 16:32
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